"Alright, this should do."
My lonesome voice, barely above a whisper, still managed to echo through the small, empty, and cheap apartment as I vigorously scribbled in a worn notebook.
You're probably wondering what I'm doing, huh? Curious little thing, aren't you?
Well, I'm putting together a quick character overview—for The Guard.
Helps me keep track of my arsenal. See, I still need a trigger to slip into a role. At first, I relied on the scene the character originally appeared in. It worked—it let me fall into their mindset.
But let's be real, relying on memory alone is slow and unreliable. I'm not delusional enough to think I can embody a role purely on imagination.
So, the smarter move? Build a reference sheet. Something to refresh the details. Keep it sharp. Keep me sharp.
Name: [Unnamed]
Source: Othello (Background NPC)
Role: Palace guard, Cyprus garrison
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Vibe: Quiet. Present. Invisible unless needed.
Core Traits:
Obeys without question
Doesn't speak unless addressed
Thinks in orders, not opinions
Loyal to structure, not people
Skills:
Basic swordsmanship
Shield line formation
Triggers / Phrases:
"Orders received."
"Not my place."
"The general's word is law."
Bzzt. Bzzzt.
A small vibrating sound—and well, an actual vibration—caught my attention. It was my phone.
Picking it up, I saw a new email addressed to me. Just one among a sea of job application replies, part-time gigs, and rejections from other hero schools or those weirdly "specialized" high schools.
But the most recent—and the most eye-catching—was from U.A.
Simple message: test location, test date.
The entrance exam.
One month away.
Makes sense, I guess. Middle school just wrapped up, and if I remember right, Deku trained with All Might through the last half of his final year. The exam happened maybe a month after he and Bakugo graduated.
"Shit! I'm not ready. One role's not gonna carry me."
"Oi, shut up, you brat!"
A rough, tired voice cut through my panic. My neighbour. Right—probably not thrilled that someone was screaming existential dread into the void at 3 a.m., before the damn sun even came up.
"Shiiit, I need to get stronger."
But how?
I could get more roles… but who? Which ones? I need something versatile. Skill-based.
"And I definitely need to put on some muscle," I muttered, glancing at my arm.
Tensed.
Barely a bicep in sight.